Treasury Board president Vic Toews made another appearance at city hall Tuesday morning and announced a $73,975-grant.

The money will help fund the City of Whitehorse Green Cart Pilot Project, a municipal program dedicated to minimizing and diverting waste.

The grant stems from the Green Municipal Fund (GMF), which the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) established after receiving a $550-million endowment from the federal government.

The GMF is designed to "provide a long-term, sustainable source of financing for municipal governments and their partners," says a government release.

"The fund supports communities to improve air, water and soil quality, and to address climate change," it continues.

By using "standardized green carts with lids, couple with automated lifters for organics to eliminate the cost and process issues currently experienced with bag liners," the pilot project aims to increase the proper disposal of organic waste, says the government release.

"This is a difficult environmental challenge for communities across Canada," Toews said in his speech. "We simply can't send everything to a landfill."

If the pilot project is successfully implemented, it will yield a "reduction of more than 229 (metric) tonnes of organic waste currently being landfilled each year."

This reduction would also offset around 1,100 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions from landfills.

Toews said the pilot project has a "highly valuable goal with immediate practical benefits in Whitehorse."

He said that with increased diversion of organic waste, fewer landfills will be needed in the future and dumps that are currently in use will last longer.

"You're setting a great example and showing other Canadian communities how to be more environmentally sustainable," said Toews.

"Thanks to the (GMF), the City of Whitehorse has had the opportunity to field-test measures to refine its organics collection program that it might no have had otherwise," said Mayor Bev Buckway. "This testing will result in environmental benefits that will improve the quality of life for all residents of Whitehorse."

"On behalf of the (FCM), I congratulate the City of Whitehorse," said Coun. Jan Stick.

The GMF allows municipal governments to enhance their contribution to environmental causes, Stick said.

She added that partnership between different levels of government is an essential part of making positive changes.

Buckway said she has received positive feedback from community members regarding the "green cart" pilot project.

As quoted by Buckway, one Whitehorse resident said, "I'm now buying packaging which is compostable instead of disposable."

Said another resident: "We hope you don't take (the carts) away from us once the pilot project is over."

Buckway added that the use of standardized carts has raissed the project's profile and visibility.

"Their use has generated widespread public awareness," she said.